U.S. patent number 7,987,857 [Application Number 12/716,752] was granted by the patent office on 2011-08-02 for multi-component filter providing multiple flavour enhancement.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Philip Morris USA Inc.. Invention is credited to Ahmed Gawad, Charles Kuersteiner, Levent Lekili, Hugues Seitert.
United States Patent |
7,987,857 |
Seitert , et al. |
August 2, 2011 |
Multi-component filter providing multiple flavour enhancement
Abstract
A multi-component filter for a smoking article comprises: a
mouth end segment; a first flavor release segment comprising plant
leaf upstream of the mouth end segment; and a second flavor release
segment comprising filtration material and a flavorant upstream of
the first flavor release segment. The resistance to draw of the
second flavor release segment is greater than the resistance to
draw of the first flavor release segment and the resistance to draw
of the second flavor release segment is greater than the resistance
to draw of the mouth end segment. The multi-component filter
preferably further comprises a rod end segment comprising
filtration material upstream of the second flavor release segment,
which has a lower resistance to draw than the second flavor release
segment.
Inventors: |
Seitert; Hugues (Neuchatel,
CH), Gawad; Ahmed (Lonay, CH), Lekili;
Levent (Colombier, CH), Kuersteiner; Charles
(Jouxtens-Mezery, CH) |
Assignee: |
Philip Morris USA Inc.
(Richmond, VA)
|
Family
ID: |
37709472 |
Appl.
No.: |
12/716,752 |
Filed: |
March 3, 2010 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20100154809 A1 |
Jun 24, 2010 |
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Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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11882115 |
Jul 30, 2007 |
7699061 |
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Foreign Application Priority Data
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Aug 4, 2006 [EP] |
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06254102 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
131/344;
131/336 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A24D
3/048 (20130101); A24D 3/061 (20130101); A24D
3/16 (20130101); A24D 3/06 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A24D
3/06 (20060101) |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
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3858587 |
January 1975 |
Cavelli et al. |
3875949 |
April 1975 |
Harendza-Harinxma |
4281671 |
August 1981 |
Bynre et al. |
7074170 |
July 2006 |
Lanier, Jr. et al. |
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Foreign Patent Documents
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69700458 |
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Jan 2000 |
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DE |
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001553 |
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Oct 2000 |
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EA |
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004840 |
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Feb 2004 |
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EA |
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1058343 |
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Feb 1967 |
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GB |
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1329956 |
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Sep 1973 |
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GB |
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2116040 |
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Jul 1998 |
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RU |
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WO84/01272 |
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Apr 1984 |
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WO |
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WO02/45531 |
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Jun 2002 |
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WO |
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WO 02/069745 |
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Sep 2002 |
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WO |
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Other References
European Search Report dated Feb. 15, 2007 for EP 06254102. cited
by other .
Eurasian Search Report dated Oct. 25, 2007 for Eurasian Patent
Appln. No. 200701446. cited by other .
International Search Report and Written Opinion dated Feb. 1, 2008
for PCT/IB2007/003030. cited by other .
International Preliminary Report on Patentability issued Feb. 10,
2009 for PCT/IB2007/003030. cited by other .
Opposition to European Patent No. 1889550 "Multi-component filter
providing multiple flavour enhancement," Reemtsma
Cigarettenfabriken GmbH, Hamburg, Germany; Apr. 28, 2010; European
Patent Office. cited by other.
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Primary Examiner: Crispino; Richard
Assistant Examiner: Felton; Michael J
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney
PC
Parent Case Text
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation application of U.S. Pat. No.
7,699,061 entitled MULTI-COMPONENT FILTER PROVIDING MULTIPLE
FLAVOUR ENHANCEMENT, filed on Jul. 30, 2007 which claims priority
under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.119 to European Application No. 06254102.4,
filed Aug. 4, 2006, the entire contents of which are hereby
incorporated by reference.
Claims
The invention claimed is:
1. A multi-component filter for a smoking article comprising: a
mouth end segment comprising a filtration material; a first flavour
release segment comprising plant leaf upstream of the mouth end
segment; a second flavour release segment comprising filtration
material and a flavourant upstream of the first flavour release
segment, wherein the resistance to draw of the second flavour
release segment is greater than the resistance to draw of the first
flavour release segment and the resistance to draw of the second
flavour release segment is greater than the resistance to draw of
the mouth end segment; and a rod segment upstream of the second
flavour release segment comprising filtration material and at least
one sorbent material capable of removing gas phase constituents
from mainstream smoke drawn through the filter wherein the
resistance to draw of the second flavour release segment is greater
than the resistance to draw of the rod end segment.
2. A multi-component filter according to claim 1, wherein the first
flavour release segment comprises tobacco.
3. A multi-component filter according to claim 1, wherein the
second flavour release segment comprises cellulose acetate tow.
4. A multi-component filter according to claim 3, wherein the
second flavour release segment comprises a plug of cellulose
acetate tow impregnated with a liquid flavourant.
5. A multi-component filter according to claim 1, wherein the
second flavour release segment comprises a plug of cellulose
acetate including one or more threads impregnated with liquid
flavourant.
6. A multi-component filter according to claim 1, wherein the rod
end segment comprises cellulose acetate tow.
7. A multi-component filter according to claim 1, wherein the rod
end segment comprises paper.
8. A multi-component filter according to claim 1, wherein the at
least one sorbent is selected from the group consisting of
activated carbon, activated alumina, zeolites, molecular sieves and
silica gel.
9. A multi-component filter according to claim 1, wherein the mouth
end segment comprises cellulose acetate tow.
10. A smoking article comprising: a wrapped rod of smokable
material; and a multi-component filter according to claim 1
attached to the rod of smokable material by tipping paper.
11. A smoking article according to claim 10, wherein the mouth end
segment of the multi-component filter comprises a hollow tube or
recess.
12. A smoking article according to claim 10, further comprising at
least one circumferential row of perforations at a location along
the multi-component filter.
13. A smoking article according to claim 12, wherein the at least
one circumferential row of perforations is located at least 12 mm
from the mouth end of the multi-component filter.
Description
BACKGROUND
The present invention relates to a multi-component filter for a
smoking article and to a smoking article comprising such a
multi-component filter.
Filter cigarettes typically comprise a rod of tobacco cut filler
surrounded by a paper wrapper and a cylindrical filter aligned in
end-to end relationship with the wrapped tobacco rod and attached
thereto by tipping paper. Ventilation in the form of
circumferential perforations is commonly provided at a location
along the filter, to mix the mainstream smoke produced during
combustion of the wrapped tobacco rod with ambient air.
In conventional filter cigarettes, the filter usually consists of a
plug of cellulose acetate tow wrapped in porous plug wrap. However,
filter cigarettes with multi-component filters that comprise two or
more segments of filtration material for the removal of particulate
and gaseous components of the mainstream smoke are also known. To
enhance the flavour of the mainstream smoke produced during
combustion of the wrapped tobacco rod, it is also known to provide
filter cigarettes with filters that include flavourants.
It would be desirable to provide a multi-component filter for a
smoking article such as a cigarette that, in use, provides improved
flavour enhancement to mainstream smoke as it is drawn from a rod
of smokable material through the filter by a consumer.
SUMMARY
According to the present invention there is provided a
multi-component filter for a smoking article comprising: a mouth
end segment; a first flavour release segment comprising plant leaf
upstream of the mouth end segment; and a second flavour release
segment comprising filtration material and a flavourant upstream of
the first flavour release segment, wherein the resistance to draw
of the second flavour release segment is greater than the
resistance to draw of the first flavour release segment and the
resistance to draw of the second flavour release segment is greater
than the resistance to draw of the mouth end segment.
Throughout the specification, "upstream" and "downstream" are used
to describe the relative positions of segments of the
multi-component filter of the invention in relation to the
direction of mainstream smoke drawn from a rod of smokable material
through the multi-component filter during use.
In use, as mainstream smoke is drawn from a rod of smokable
material through the multi-component filter, flavour is released
into the mainstream smoke by the flavourant in the second flavour
release segment. As the mainstream smoke passes downstream from the
second flavour release segment through the multi-component filter
towards the mouth end segment thereof, additional flavour is
released into the mainstream smoke from the plant leaf in the first
flavour release segment. Multi-component filters according to the
present invention thereby advantageously provide dual flavour
enhancement to mainstream smoke drawn therethrough.
Preferably, the external diameter of multi-component filters
according to the invention is between about 5 mm and about 8.5 mm,
more preferably about 7.8 mm.
Preferably, the overall length of multi-component filters according
to the invention is between about 24 mm and about 48 mm, more
preferably about 34 mm.
Preferably, the overall encapsulated resistance to draw (RTD) of
multi-component filters according to the invention is between about
100 mm WG (water gauge) and about 180 mm WG, more preferably about
140 mm WG as measured in accordance with ISO 6565:2002.
Preferably, the mouth end segment has substantially no particulate
phase filtration efficiency or very low particulate phase
filtration efficiency. For example, the mouth end segment may
comprise cellulosic material, such as cellulose acetate tow, or
other suitable fibrous material of low filtration efficiency.
Alternatively, the mouth end segment may consist of a hollow tube
or recess located at the mouth end of the multi-component filter
that has substantially no filtration efficiency. Where the mouth
end segment of a multi-component filter according to the present
invention is a hollow tube or recess, the mouth end segment may be
formed when the multi-component filter is attached to a rod of
smokable material by, for example, tipping paper to form a smoking
article.
Preferably, the mouth end segment has a resistance to draw of about
20 mm WG or less as measured in accordance with ISO 6565:2002.
Preferably, the length of the mouth end segment is between about 3
mm and about 12 mm, more preferably between about 6 mm and about 8
mm.
Where the mouth end segment comprises a hollow tube or recess, the
length of the mouth end segment is preferably between about 3 mm
and about 4 mm.
The mouth end segment is used to balance the overall resistance to
draw of the multi-component filter of the present invention in
order to achieve a desired overall resistance to draw for a smoking
article comprising the multi-component filter. For example, where
the mouth end segment comprises a plug of cellulose acetate tow,
the denier per filament and total denier of the tow may be selected
in order to achieve a desired overall resistance to draw for the
multi-component filter. Preferably, where the mouth end segment
comprises a plug of cellulose acetate tow, the cellulose acetate
tow has a denier per filament of about 5 or more.
The first flavour release segment may include any plant leaf that
is capable of releasing flavour into mainstream smoke drawn through
the multi-component filter.
Preferably, the plant leaf is shredded, cut or otherwise reduced in
size. More preferably, the plant leaf is finely cut. Most
preferably, the plant leaf has a cut width of about 0.4 mm.
Preferably the plant leaf is dried. Preferably, the moisture
content of the plant leaf is about 15% or less by weight.
The first flavour release segment may include leaf from one or more
plants. For example, the first flavour release segment may comprise
tobacco or herb plant leaf or mixtures thereof. Preferably, the
first flavour release segment includes leaf from one or more plants
having leaves that are about 1 cm in width and 3 cm in length when
dried.
Preferably, the first flavour release segment comprises plant leaf
selected from the group consisting of tobacco, green tea,
peppermint, laurel, eucalyptus, basil, sage, verbena and tarragon.
More preferably, the first flavour release segment comprises
tobacco, most preferably oriental tobacco.
Preferably, the length of the first flavour release segment is
between about 6 mm and about 12 mm, more preferably between about 6
mm and about 10 mm.
The first flavour release segment may include plant leaf to which
casing comprising, for example, sugars or humectants has been
applied.
The second flavour release segment may include any flavourant
capable of releasing flavour into mainstream smoke drawn through
the multi-component filter. Preferably, the second flavour release
segment comprises a liquid flavourant.
Preferably, the second flavour release segment comprises fibrous
filtration material and a liquid flavourant, more preferably
fibrous cellulosic filtration material and a liquid flavourant,
most preferably cellulose acetate tow and a liquid flavourant.
The flavourant may be natural or synthetic and the second flavour
release segment may comprise one or more different flavourants. For
example, the second flavour release segment may comprise one or
more essential oils, oleoresins, absolutes, fruit concentrates,
fruit extracts and distillates.
Second flavour release segments of multi-component filters
according to the present invention may comprise flavourants
including one or more flavour ingredients to create a certain
flavour type. Flavourants and flavour types that may be included in
the second flavour release segment include, but are not limited to,
coffee, tea, spices (such as cinnamon, clove and ginger), cocoa,
vanilla, spearmint, peppermint, fruit flavourants (such as
blueberry, cranberry, orange, peach, and strawberry), chocolate,
menthol, eucalyptus, geranium extract, linalool and citrus.
The second flavour release segment may comprise a plug of cellulose
acetate tow impregnated with a liquid flavourant. The liquid
flavourant may be applied directly into a stream of cellulose
acetate tow during manufacture of the second flavour release
segment, either by spraying the liquid flavourant under pressure
onto the tow or by injecting the liquid flavourant into the
tow.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the second flavour
release segment comprises a plug of filtration material including
one or more threads impregnated with liquid flavourant. The one or
more threads may be formed from any suitable materials capable of
absorbing liquid flavourant including, but not limited to, cotton,
cellulose acetate, rayon, or other textile or non-textile
materials. Preferably the one or more threads are formed of cotton
yarn or cellulose acetate yarn.
Filter plugs comprising flavourant bearing threads suitable for use
in multi-component filters according to the present invention, and
methods and apparatus for forming such plugs, are described in U.S.
Pat. Nos. 4,281,671 and 7,074,170 and are available from the
American Filtrona Company, Richmond, Va., USA.
Preferably, the second flavour release segment comprises a plug of
filtration material including a single thread impregnated with
liquid flavourant. The second flavour release segment may, however,
comprise a plug of filtration material including more than one
flavourant-bearing thread. Each thread may be impregnated with more
than one liquid flavourant. In addition, where the second flavour
release segment comprises a plug of filtration material including
two or more flavourant-bearing threads, the threads may be
impregnated with the same or different liquid flavourants.
In a particularly preferred embodiment, the second flavour release
segment comprises a plug of cellulose acetate tow including a
single, centrally located, axial thread impregnated with liquid
flavourant.
As mainstream smoke is drawn from the lit end of a rod of smokable
material through a filter attached to the rod into a consumer's
mouth, the mainstream smoke cools. Location of the second flavour
release segment upstream of the first flavour release segment in
multi-component filters according to the present invention helps to
maximise flavour enhancement by the second flavour release segment
of mainstream smoke drawn through the filter.
Furthermore, in use, the increased resistance to draw of the second
flavour release segment compared to the first flavour release
segment and the mouth end segment also helps to maximise flavour
enhancement by the second flavour release segment of mainstream
smoke drawn from a rod of smokable material through the filter.
Preferably, the second flavour release segment has a resistance to
draw (RTD) of between about 40 mm WG and about 100 mm WG, more
preferably a resistance to draw of about 70 mm WG as measured in
accordance with ISO 6565:2002.
Preferably, the length of the second flavour release segment is
between about 6 mm and about 12 mm, more preferably between about 6
mm and about 10 mm.
Multi-component filters according to the invention preferably
further comprise a rod end segment comprising filtration material
upstream of the second flavour release segment, wherein the
resistance to draw of the second flavour release segment is greater
than the resistance to draw of the rod end segment. The inclusion
of a rod end segment comprising filtration material provides
additional filtration efficiency.
As previously described, where the mouth end segment of a
multi-component filter according to the present invention is a
hollow tube or recess, the mouth end segment may be formed when the
multi-component filter is attached to a rod of smokable material
by, for example, tipping paper to form a smoking article. Prior to
incorporation into a smoking article, multi-component filters
according to the present invention may, therefore, comprise: a
first flavour release segment comprising plant leaf; a second
flavour release segment comprising filtration material and a
flavourant upstream of the first flavour release segment; and a rod
end segment comprising filtration material upstream of the second
flavour release segment, wherein the resistance to draw of the
second flavour release segment is greater than the resistance to
draw of the first flavour release segment and the resistance to
draw of the second flavour release segment is greater than the
resistance to draw of the rod end segment.
Preferably, the length of the rod end segment is between about 6 mm
and about 12 mm, more preferably between about 6 mm and about 8
mm.
The rod end segment may comprise any suitable known filtration
materials including, but not limited to, cellulose acetate and
paper. Preferably the rod end segment comprises fibrous filtration
material, more preferably cellulosic filtration material, most
preferably cellulose acetate tow.
Preferably, the rod end segment further comprises at least one
sorbent capable of removing at least one gas phase constituent from
mainstream smoke drawn through the filter. Preferably, the at least
one sorbent is selected from the group consisting of activated
carbon, activated alumina, zeolites, molecular sieves and silica
gel. Most preferably, the sorbent is activated carbon.
If desired, the rod end segment may further comprise a flavourant.
For example, the rod end segment may comprise a mesoporous sorbent
having pores of between about 2 nm and about 50 nm in diameter,
which is sprayed or otherwise impregnated with a liquid flavourant
so that the rod end segment is adapted to not only remove at least
one gas phase constituent from mainstream smoke drawn from a rod of
smokable material through the multi-component filter, but also to
release flavour into the mainstream smoke.
The inclusion of a rod end segment comprising a fibrous filtration
material and at least one sorbent is particularly preferred in
multi-component filters according to the invention for use in ultra
low tar filter cigarettes having a total tar delivery of about 3 mg
or less.
In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the
multi-component filter includes a rod end segment comprising a plug
of cellulose acetate tow loaded with high surface area activated
carbon.
It will be appreciated, however, that in multi-component filters
according to the invention for use in filter cigarettes having a
higher total tar delivery, for example a total tar delivery of
about 6 mg or higher, the rod end segment may be omitted.
Multi-component filters according to the present invention may
further comprise one or more additional flavour release segments of
either the same general construction as the first flavour release
segment or the second flavour release segment.
Preferably, multi-component filters according to the invention
comprise a maximum of five segments.
Preferably, multi-component filters according to the invention
comprise a maximum of three flavour release segments.
Multi-component filters according to the invention may be produced
by forming separate continuous rods comprising multiple units of
each segment of the filter and then combining these separate rods
in a known manner in one or more stages to form a continuous filter
rod comprising multiple units of the multiple-component filter. The
continuous filter rod may then be subsequently severed at regular
intervals by a cutting mechanism to yield a succession of discrete
multi-component filters according to the invention.
According to the invention there is also provided a smoking article
comprising a wrapped rod of smokable material and a multi-component
filter according to the invention attached to the rod of smokable
material by tipping paper.
Preferably, the overall length of the smoking article is between
about 70 mm and about 128 mm, more preferably about 84 mm.
Smoking articles according to the present invention preferably
further comprise at least one circumferential row of perforations
at a location along the multi-component filter in order to
ventilate mainstream smoke drawn through the multi-component filter
from the rod of smokable material by a consumer.
Preferably, the at least one circumferential row of perforations is
located at least 12 mm from the mouth end of the multi-component
filter.
Preferably, smoking articles according to the invention have a
ventilation of between about 40% and about 80%, more preferably a
ventilation of about 70% as measured in accordance with ISO
9512:2002.
Preferably, ventilated smoking articles according to the present
invention have a resistance to draw (RTD) of between about 60 mm WG
and about 110 mm WG as measured in accordance with ISO
6565:2002.
Preferably, smoking articles according to the present invention
have a total nicotine free dry particulate matter (NFDPM) or "tar"
delivery of between about 1 mg and about 6 mg, more preferably a
total tar delivery of between about 1 mg and about 3 mg.
Preferably, the smokable material is tobacco cut filler, more
preferably tobacco cut filler comprising less than about 25% by
weight expanded tobacco, most preferably tobacco cut filler
comprising about 15% or less by weight expanded tobacco.
Preferably, the rod of smokable material is wrapped in cigarette
paper having a burning agent content, for example a citrate
content, of greater than about 1% by weight.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will be further described, by way of example only,
with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 shows a side view of a filter cigarette comprising a tobacco
rod and a multi-component filter according to a first preferred
embodiment of the invention with portions thereof broken away to
illustrate interior details of the multi-component filter;
FIG. 2 shows a side view of a filter cigarette comprising a tobacco
rod and a multi-component filter according to a second embodiment
of the invention with portions thereof broken away to illustrate
interior details of the multi-component filter;
FIG. 3 shows a side view of a filter cigarette comprising a tobacco
rod and a multi-component filter according to a third embodiment of
the invention with portions thereof broken away to illustrate
interior details of the multi-component filter; and
FIG. 4 shows a two-stage combining process for forming a
multi-component filter according to the first preferred embodiment
of the invention shown in FIG. 1.
The cigarettes according to the first, second and third embodiments
of the invention shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, respectively, have
several components in common; these components have been given the
same reference numerals throughout.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Each cigarette generally comprises an elongate, cylindrical wrapped
tobacco rod 2 attached at one end to an axially aligned, elongate,
cylindrical, multi-component filter 4. The wrapped tobacco rod 2
and the multi-component filter 4 are joined in a conventional
manner by tipping paper 6, which circumscribes the entire length of
the multi-component filter and an adjacent portion of the wrapped
tobacco rod 2. To ventilate mainstream smoke produced during
combustion of the wrapped tobacco rod 4 with ambient air, a
plurality of annular perforations 8 are provided through the
tipping paper 6 at a location along the multi-component filter
4.
The multi-component filter 4 of the cigarette 10 according to the
preferred embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1 includes four
segments in abutting end-to-end relationship: a mouth end segment
12, distant from the wrapped tobacco rod 2; a first flavour release
segment 14, located upstream of the mouth end segment 12; a second
flavour release segment 16, located upstream of the first flavour
release segment 14; and a rod end segment 18, located upstream of
the second flavour release segment 16, which is adjacent to and
abuts the wrapped tobacco rod 2.
The mouth end segment 12 comprises a plug of cellulose acetate tow
of low filtration efficiency.
The first flavour release segment 14 comprises densely packed fine
cut tobacco.
The second flavour release segment 16 comprises a plug of cellulose
acetate tow of high filtration efficiency and a central cotton
thread 20 loaded with liquid flavourant that extends axially
through the plug of cellulose acetate tow parallel to the
longitudinal axis of the cigarette 10.
The rod end segment 18 comprises a plug of cellulose acetate tow of
medium to low filtration efficiency loaded with activated
carbon.
During smoking of the cigarette 10, mainstream smoke is drawn
downstream from the lit end of the wrapped tobacco rod through the
multi-component filter 4 by the consumer. As the mainstream smoke
enters the multi-component filter 4 it passes through the rod end
segment 18 of the multi-component filter 4, where the medium to low
filtration efficiency cellulose acetate tow partially filters out
particulate phase components of the smoke and the activated carbon
distributed amongst the cellulose acetate tow filters out gas phase
components of the smoke. The mainstream smoke then passes
downstream through the second flavour release segment 16, where the
high filtration efficiency cellulose acetate tow also partially
filters out particulate phase components of the smoke and flavour
is released into the mainstream smoke from the flavourant loaded
onto the cotton thread 20. Having passed through the second flavour
release segment 16, the mainstream smoke enters the first flavour
release segment 14, where further flavour is released into the
smoke from the densely packed finely cut tobacco. Finally, the
smoke passes through the mouth end segment 12 of the
multi-component filter 4 into the consumer's mouth.
The high filtration efficiency of the cellulose acetate tow in the
second flavour release segment 16, which has the highest resistance
to draw of the four segments in the multi-component filter 4,
maximises filtration of particulate phase components of the
mainstream smoke, while the activated carbon distributed amongst
the cellulose acetate tow of the rod end segment 18 maximises
filtration of gas phase components of the mainstream smoke. At the
same time, the first flavour release segment 14 and the second
flavour release segment 16 of the multi-component filter 4 also
provide dual flavour enhancement to the mainstream smoke, while the
mouth end segment 12 balances the overall resistance to draw of the
multi-component filter 4 and hence the cigarette 10.
The cigarette 22 according to the second embodiment of the
invention shown in FIG. 2 has a multi-component filter 4 that
includes five segments in abutting end-to-end relationship.
The multi-component filter 4 comprises a mouth end segment 12, a
first flavour release segment 14, a second flavour release segment
16 and a rod end segment 18 of the same construction previously
described above for the cigarette 10 shown in FIG. 1. In addition,
the multi-component filter 4 includes a third flavour release
segment 24 located upstream of the first flavour release segment 14
and downstream of the second flavour release segment 16. The third
flavour release segment 24 is of similar construction to the second
flavour release segment 16, but comprises a plug of cellulose
acetate tow of low, rather than high, filtration efficiency and a
central cotton thread 20 loaded with a second, different, liquid
flavourant that extends axially through the plug of cellulose
acetate tow parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cigarette
22.
In use, as mainstream smoke is drawn from the wrapped tobacco rod 2
through the multi-component filter 4, flavour is released from the
second flavourant loaded onto the cotton thread 20 into the
mainstream smoke as it passes through the third flavour release
segment 24. The multi-component filter 4 according to the second
embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 2 thus provides triple
flavour enhancement to the mainstream smoke as it is drawn through
the filter 4.
The cigarette 26 according to the third embodiment of the invention
shown in FIG. 3 also has a multi-component filter 4 that includes
five segments in abutting end-to-end relationship.
Once again, the multi-component filter 4 comprises a mouth end
segment 12, a first flavour release segment 14, a second flavour
release segment 16 and a rod end segment 18 of the same
construction previously described above for the cigarette 10 shown
in FIG. 1. In addition, the multi-component filter 4 includes a
third flavour release segment 28 located upstream of the first
flavour release segment 14 and downstream of the second flavour
release segment. In this embodiment the third flavour release
segment is of similar construction to the first flavour release
segment 14, but comprises a second, different, densely packed fine
cut plant leaf, such as green tea.
In use, as mainstream smoke is drawn from the wrapped tobacco rod 2
through the multi-component filter 4, flavour is released from the
second plant leaf into the mainstream smoke as it passes through
the third flavour release segment 28. The multi-component filter 4
according to the third embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 3
thus also provides triple flavour enhancement to the mainstream
smoke as it is drawn through the filter 4.
To form the cigarettes 10, 22, 26 according to the first, second
and third embodiments of the inventions shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3,
respectively, the multi-component filters 4 are produced and then
joined to the wrapped tobacco rods 2, which are produced in a
conventional manner, by tipping paper 6 using known filter
cigarette making equipment.
To produce each multi-component filter 4, separate continuous rods
comprising multiple units of each segment 12, 14, 16, 18, 24, 28 of
the multi-component filter 4 are produced in a known manner and
then combined to form a continuous filter rod comprising multiple
units of the multiple-component filter 4. The continuous filter rod
is then severed at regular intervals by a cutting mechanism to
yield a succession of discrete multi-component filters 4.
FIG. 4 illustrates a two-stage combining process for forming a
multi-component filter 4 according to the first preferred
embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 4, in
the first stage of the process, two separate rods comprising
multiple units of the first flavour release segment 14 and the
second flavour release segment 16, each wrapped in a first web of
porous plug wrap, are combined to form a stream of aligned
alternating pairs of first flavour release segments 14 and second
flavour release segments 16, which is then wrapped in a second web
of porous plug wrap.
In the second stage, the wrapped alternating pairs of first flavour
release segments 14 and second flavour release segments 16 are
combined with two separate rods comprising multiple units of the
rod end segment 18 and the mouth end segment 12, each wrapped in a
first web of porous plug wrap, and then wrapped in a third web of
porous plug wrap to produce a filter rod comprising multiple units
of the multiple-component filter 4.
The separate rods comprising multiple units of the first flavour
release segment 14, second flavour release segment 16, rod end
segment 18 and mouth end segment 12 could alternatively be combined
in one stage using a single combiner.
Example
A filter cigarette according to the first embodiment of the
invention having the dimensions and properties given in Table 1
below was produced by the two-stage combining process illustrated
in FIG. 4.
While the invention has been exemplified above with reference to
filter cigarettes comprising multi-component filters including a
rod end segment comprising a plug of cellulose acetate tow loaded
with activated carbon, it will be appreciated that multi-component
filters according to the present invention may be used in
cigarettes and other smoking articles with or without a segment
comprising a sorbent or fibrous filtration material upstream of the
second flavour release segment.
It will also be appreciated that the type and quantity of plant
leaf in the first flavour release segment and the type and quantity
of flavourant in the second flavour release segment of
multi-component filters according to the present invention may be
varied in order to provide a desired rate of delivery of flavour to
mainstream smoke drawn from a rod of smokable material through the
filter by a consumer in use.
As described above, in use, the first flavour release segment and
second flavour release segment of multi-component filters according
to the present invention can each release desired flavourants into
mainstream smoke passing through the multi-component filter,
thereby advantageously providing dual flavour enhancement to the
mainstream smoke. Through the provision of dual flavour enhancement
to mainstream smoke drawn therethrough, multi-component filters
according to the invention advantageously enable the manufacture of
filter cigarettes and other filtered smoking articles that are
flavourful, whilst still achieving significant reductions in
particulate phase and gas phase components of the mainstream smoke
and an acceptable overall resistance to draw.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Tobacco rod 85% American blend
Multi-component filter 15% expanded tobacco Encapsulated RTD (mm
WG) 140 Ventilation (%) 70 -- Length (mm) 34 50 External Diameter
(mm) 7.8 7.9 Mouth end First flavour Second flavour Rod end
Segment: segment release segment release segment segment -- Length
(mm) 7 10 10 7 -- Diameter (mm) 7.6 7.5 7.5 7.6 -- RTD (mm WG) 10
29 71 7 -- Cellulose acetate: denier 8.0 -- 1.5 3.0 -- per filament
Cellulose acetate: 28000 -- 46000 35000 -- total denier Cellulose
acetate: 31.76 -- 57.5 37.94 -- weight (mg) Triacetin (mg) 2.2 (7%)
-- 4.0 (7%) 2.3 (6%) -- Dry Tobacco (mg) -- 155.8 -- -- -- Oven
Volatiles (mg) -- 20.3 (13%) -- -- -- Cotton thread (mg) -- -- 1.5
-- -- Carbon (mg) -- -- -- 22.2 -- First plug wrap porosity 12000
24000 12000 12000 -- (cm.sup.3/min cm.sup.2) Second plug wrap
porosity 24000 -- (cm.sup.3/min cm.sup.2) Third plug wrap porosity
24000 -- (cm.sup.3/min cm.sup.2) NFDPM (mg) 1 Nicotine (mg) 0.1
* * * * *